Cost of Living Comparison Between Cafayate and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Cafayate and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Cafayate vs $844 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Cafayate vs $1,417 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,082 per month in Cafayate vs $1,991 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

Cafayate costs about 9% more than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cafayate and Mar del Plata are more affordable than the global median – Cafayate 31% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.91 ARS 10.3K
$9.53 ARS 14.1K
-27.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.38 ARS 48.1K
$37.25 ARS 55.3K
-13.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.98 ARS 13.3K
$8.17 ARS 12.1K
9.91%
Cappuccino
$2.71 ARS 4,017
$2.41 ARS 3,579
12.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 ARS 2,271
$2.18 ARS 3,238
-29.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 ARS 1,169
$2.05 ARS 3,051
-61.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.06 ARS 3,053
$3.34 ARS 4,959
-38.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 ARS 4,422
$3.19 ARS 4,732
-6.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 ARS 1,947
$1.05 ARS 1,559
24.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 ARS 2,311
$1.38 ARS 2,050
13.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 ARS 3,040
$2.06 ARS 3,064
-0.49%
Eggs
$2.16 ARS 3,215
$1.52 ARS 2,264
42.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.98 ARS 14.8K
$6.93 ARS 10.3K
44.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.28 ARS 9,327
$5.22 ARS 7,758
20.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.15 ARS 13.6K
$7.47 ARS 11.1K
22.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.95 ARS 2,892
$2.74 ARS 4,063
-28.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 ARS 3,188
$2.17 ARS 3,222
-0.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 ARS 1,891
$1.55 ARS 2,302
-18.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 ARS 3,853
$2.45 ARS 3,637
5.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 ARS 1,684
$1.22 ARS 1,815
-7.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 ARS 1,848
$0.95 ARS 1,408
30.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.31 ARS 1,952
$0.63 ARS 939
107.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 ARS 2,126
$1.20 ARS 1,784
19.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.19 ARS 4,740
$3.48 ARS 5,166
-8.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.96 ARS 7,365
$2.95 ARS 4,377
68.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09 ARS 3,098
$1.39 ARS 2,068
50.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 ARS 4,703
$1.98 ARS 2,947
60.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 ARS 1,243
$0.76 ARS 1,129
10.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$9.94 ARS 14.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 ARS 2,187
$1.49 ARS 2,212
-1.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ARS 1,372
$0.76 ARS 1,129
21.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.02 ARS 8,934
$8.18 ARS 12.1K
-26.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ARS 1,556
$1.15 ARS 1,710
-8.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ARS 40.6M
$28.2K ARS 41.9M
-3.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K ARS 45.5M
$38.9K ARS 57.8M
-21.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.0 ARS 101.0K
$85.2 ARS 126.6K
-20.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.29 ARS 25.7K
$10.11 ARS 15.0K
71.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.57 ARS 33.5K
$25.00 ARS 37.1K
-9.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.23 ARS 39.0K
$17.57 ARS 26.1K
49.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.92 ARS 20.7K
$7.84 ARS 11.6K
77.55%
Cinema Ticket
$6.24 ARS 9,266
$4.10 ARS 6,083
52.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$217 ARS 322.3K
$159 ARS 236.8K
36.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,667 ARS 4.0M
$3,177 ARS 4.7M
-16.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.8 ARS 109.6K
$56.7 ARS 84.2K
30.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.4 ARS 104.6K
$61.5 ARS 91.3K
14.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ARS 173.1K
$65.0 ARS 96.5K
79.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 ARS 168.8K
$62.7 ARS 93.1K
81.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$333 ARS 494.0K
$283 ARS 419.6K
17.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$239 ARS 355.2K
$202 ARS 299.3K
18.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$689 ARS 1.0M
$726 ARS 1.1M
-5.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$533 ARS 791.5K
$585 ARS 868.7K
-8.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,616 ARS 3.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,564 ARS 2.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cafayate
Mar del Plata
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$616 ARS 915.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
58.5
58.5
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cafayate: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Cafayate versus $283 in Mar del Plata. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Cafayate versus $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Cafayate vs $192 in Mar del Plata – so Mar del Plata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Cafayate vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Cafayate and in Mar del Plata compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $917 in Cafayate, $844 in Mar del Plata – roughly 9% apart. Cafayate costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Cafayate compared to Mar del Plata?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,375 per month in Cafayate and $1,266 in Mar del Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Cafayate and Mar del Plata?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mar del Plata, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Cafayate and $37.00 in Mar del Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 20% more in Cafayate, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How far does $800 go in Cafayate compared to Mar del Plata?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $917 in Cafayate and $844 in Mar del Plata, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Cafayate or Mar del Plata?
Families tend to lean toward Mar del Plata – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Cafayate or Mar del Plata safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Cafayate and Mar del Plata?
If budget matters most, go with Mar del Plata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cafayate makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Cafayate vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities